Swather



W. C. JENSON 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 7, 1945 '27, 4,1949 I w. c. JENsoN SWATHER Filed May 7. 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snventor Gtforneg N O s N E J c w SWATHER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May '7. 1945 Dec* 27, 1949 w, C, JENSON v 2,492,223

.swATHER 4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed May 7. 1945 Patented Dec. 27, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE SWATHER Wilbur C. Jenson, Seattle, Wash.

Application May 7, 1945, Serial No. 592,439

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a swather used for harvesting grain and other growing crops and it is one object of the invention to provide a machine by means of which grain may be out and de` posited in a windrow across a eld as the machine is moved across the eld.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character wherein growing grain is moved into contact with knives of a long cutter bar at the front of the machine and the cut grain moved toward the center of the machine, where it is deposited on the ground between inner ends of conveyor belts and left in a windrow to sweat and cure before being gathered and threshed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swather so constructed that the frame carrying the cutter bar and the conveyors may be vertical-adjusted and cut the grain a predeterminedv distance above the ground, there being also provided a reel mounted over the cutter bar and vertically adjustable so that it will be in predetermined relation to the cutter bar.

Another object is to provide a swather which may be attached to a tractor, at the front thereof, and driven by power delivered from the power take-H of the tractor as the tractor is driven across a iield.

Another object is to provide a swather having cutting mechanism and conveyors, all of which are driven from a single drive shaft rotatably mounted across the rear end of the swather and receiving rotary motion from the power take-off of the tractor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a swather which is of simple construction, efficient in operation, and not liable to get out of order when in use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing the improved swather connected with a tractor.

Fig. 2 is a view looking at one end of the improved swather.

Fig. 3 is a side View of the lowering mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a top view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 'I is a view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View of the means for vertically adjusting the sickle bar.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing the mechanism for reciprocating the sickle bar.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the mechanism for driving and adjusting the reel.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view on the line I I-I I of Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of the frame in perspective.

This improved swather is connected with a tractor of conventional construction when in use and, in Fig. l, a portion of a tractor has been shown and indicated generally by the numeral I. The usual power take-off is provided at a side of the tractor and includes the pulley 2.

The swather is mounted in front of the tractor and has a main frame 3 along the front edge of which extends a sickle bar 4 having its ends connected with lower ends of rocker bars 5 which extend vertically and are pivoted to the frame by pins 6. Upper ends of these rocker barsA are formed with longitudinally extending slots 5 to receive pins 1 projecting from disks 8 Xed to front ends of shafts 9 and, when the shafts 9 are rotated, the bars 5 will be rocked about the pins 6 and reciprocating movement imparted to the cutter `bar 4. Therefore, grain engaged by the blades of the cutter bar will be cut and fall upon the conveyors I0, which carry it toward the center of the frame, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. The conveyors terminate in spaced relation to each other and the cut grain will be deposited upon the ground midway the width of the swather in position to form a windrow over which the tractor passes as it moves forwardly across a field. A reel II extends the full length of the frame 3 and its shaft I2 has its ends rotatably mounted in bearings I3 of arms I4 which project forwardly from quadrants I5 carried by shafts I6 amxed to standards I'I rising from opposite'ends of the frame 3. The quadrants are formed with racks I9 meshing with worms 20 at front ends of shafts 2l which are rotatably mounted along outer sides of upper ends of the standards I1 and have cranks 22 at their rear ends so that they may be turnedv and swing the quadrants about the shafts I6 to raise or lower the arms I4 and shift the reel to vertically adjusted positions. Therefore, the reel may besupported in such relation to the cutter bar that as the reel turns it will press growing grain toward the cutter bar and push the cut grain rear; wardly onto the conveyors.

A main shaft 23 extends along the rear of the frame 3 and is rotatably mounted in a suitable number of bearingsA 24. This shaft carries sprocket wheels engaged by chains 25 trained about double sprocket wheels 21 carried on the shafts I6, so that, as the shaft 23'turns, rotary motion will b e transmitted to the double sprocket wheels 21 and to the reel by chains 28 trained about sprocket wheel 30 carried by the ends of the shaft l2 of the reel. At its ends, the shaft 23 carries beveled gears 3l meshing with beveled gears 32 carried by the shafts 9 so that the shafts 9 will be rotated and the cutter bar reciprocated by power delivered from the main shaft.

Back of the main frame are auxiliary frames 34 including inner and outer side bars 35 and 36.

These barsc'arry bearings -31 in which are engagedl trunnions 38 of a bearing ring 39, which is formed with bearings to receive trunnions 40 of a second ring 4l, the trunnions of the two rings being disposed at right angles to each other so that a threaded post or hanger-bar 42, engaged through the internally threaded sleeve about which the ring 4I is secured, may have universal tilting movement. The posts 42 constitute a support and rest on an I-beam 44 and eachhas `a ball 45 at its lower end lengaged in a socket 46 carried by the I-'beam 44 equipped with Wheels il which are rotatably mounted by suitable bearings carried by the Iibea-m. When the beveled :gears 53 and sleeves 43 are -turned, the fsleeves willbe shifted-:along the posts and the .frames 34 :and ltfhe main frame raised ror r-lowered, `a'c'ccn'ding t'o the direction in which the 'gears are turned, and the cutter lbar and conveyors h'el'd in desired spaced relation to the ground. Therefore, when the grain .'isfcut, 4stubble 'of fthe desired length will befleft :in the iield. Post 42 is held fromrotaftion by a pin v42 which extends :horizontallyffrom the post and rests in a `slo't i3. The 'slot is provided -in thelupper end 'o'f a bracket'-f2.9. '-'Ifh'e bracket i's secured to the base 'of socket 46. Raf

dius rods IB-extend between theaxle and tractor and-the'rev have also been provided bracing bars 49 which carry the entire frame Yand are secured to lower 'ends oi'str'ips 58 which'are'supported from the rear'ends of the auxiliary frames 34.

To 'shift the yirai-'rre 3'to vertically adjusted positionspthere have I'been 'provided flexible-'shafts r! -which *extend 'longitudinally efth'e auxiliary frames 34 and Icarry at their re'arfen'ds, beveled gears 52 meshing withthe gears'having Vthe sleeves 43 formed integral therewith. hachY 'shaft 51 h'asits rear portionrotatably supporte'dfby =a bearing bracket 54`attached' t'o ring '41 and `its forward portion rotatably supported by abearfing'bracket 55 'and carries 'a beveled friction gear 5.6 Idisposed between Vcornpanion friction-gears 57 carried by the 'shaft 23. Th'egears '56`faren'ormallyput of Contact with gears .571, so that the fra'me F3 `remains in vertically adjustedmos'ition and, by :swinging the rshaits 5I transversely of the auxiliary frames, their gears 56 maybe selectively moved into engagement with the 'gears *5Fl fand'fthe shafts 4rotated toturn the gears 53 in avdes'red direction and 'cause fthe frame 3 to be 'lra'i'sedcr lowered :according to the direction in which 'the gears -53 and their gsleeves or hubs '43 are turned. Plates 58 are pivot'e'd to'each b'ar'35 Iby pins l59 and' have overlapped portions through which passes a linger 255 extending ldownwardly from the :arm-or link 5l 'havingits inner end pivotally engaged through an rear 62 projectm'gi'tromfthe bearing-155 at the upper fend `of each :bearing bracket 55. These brackets 55 .have`- their lower ends formed withA bearings 3 pivoted to the ibars 4S' and, when pull vis Yexerted 'upon one Iof 'the linesd attached :to the plates"58, the plate Yto which the line .is :attached -willbe {swungabout itscein s'and the'ibearingbracket swungtransversely of rthe auxiliaryframefand cause theffriction gear v56 to `be moved into engagement Ywith a friction gear 51. The nger terminates in a point 65 at its lower end and this point rests in a groove 66 formed in the upper surface of a block 61 mounted upon the bar 35. A spring 68 coiled about the linger 60 with its lower end bearing upon a collar 69 carried by the linger and its upper end engaging the plates 58, urges the pin downwardly and, when pull upon a line is released, the sloping surface of the ygroove 66, shown in Fig. 5, will cause the finger 6l] to tend to return to its normal position midway the length of the groove and restore the shaft 5l and friction gear 56 to the normal position shown in fFig. 4. Since each shaft 5| is formed of telescoping sections 10 and provided with universal joints 'll these shafts may extend longitudinally 'and con-tract when necessary and also assume angularly adjusted positions when the frame 3 is shifted vertically to adjusted positions.

Rotary movement is transmitted to the shaft 23 trema exible shaft 'l2 and T3 rotatably .mounted through bearing brackets l3"-'carried by iframes T4 'and 15 and extending rearwardly fronitlfre' f1ame3rand the axle 44, the frame l5 beings@-l cured in stra'ddling relation to the front of the tractor. This shaft "I2 .has telescoping` sections 'I6' and universal joints 'H and, at' its front fend,

carries la beveled Ygear 78 Ymeshing with a beveled gear 19 carried `by the `shaft 23.` At its `rear end, the' sha-ft l2 'carries a beveled gear' lm'm'eshing with a beveled gear 8l carried-byasha'ft Brand, referring to Figs. l and 2, it will be seen rthat S2 is rotatably mounted through'zbearings at its-outer end, fcarries a pulley 4frerrgagedflby a belt which is also trained A-a-bu-t"the 210i :the power take-'off 'of the tractor.-`v Therefore, during l'operation 'of the machine, ythe shaft 23, will be rotated `by power transmitted from'th'e power take-olf of 4the traotorfandipcwerwilllbe transmitted -from shaft V`23 tothe '.cutter'fbaigvA-the reel, conveyors,-and lifts. l

The frame 3 .is supported -on posts that rest in ball and socketbearings.- It isa-lso desirable@ prevent .it sfrom canting lto therightiorflefft: In order to do so, .there has been .provided-bars 84' which extend .rearwardly from the .irame-and havev their rear ends connected with-a sleeve 85' by a pin or rod 36. The sleeve is slidable-vertically upon an upright rod 81 canried'by the .intermediate portion 88 of the axle 44 and braced by diagonally extending rods or struts 89. There have also been provided diagonally extendingbars 9B for bracing the bars 84 and the bars 84 are additionally braced by a cross bar 9 l.

The conveyors are trained `about rollers, the

inner ones of which have their shafts .92 extend. ing rearwardly and carrying sprocket wheels 93;

engaged with chains 94 which extend upwardly and are trained about sprocket wheels '95 carried by short shafts 96 which are rotatably carried by brackets 99. rhese shafts 96 carry gears gfwlch mesh with gears '38' upon the drive s ha'ft 23150 that the conveyors will be driven from 'the drive shaft. n

What is claimed is: l. A swather comprising a mainframe, acutter bar 'along the 'front of said main frame, a main drive shaft extending llong'itudinally o'f s'ad main frame, `driving connections "betweenithe shaft and the cutter bar, auxiliary 'frames 'extending rearwardly from the *main frame, fanaxle under saidy auxiliary frames, "threaded `rpostsf'extending upwardly from said axle, c'ollarsrotat ably carried by sa'id auxiliary frames 'andfin threaded engagement with fsaid posts, means-for transmitting rotary motion to said main drive shaft, and means for transmitting rotary movement from said drive shaft to said collars and shifting the collars along the posts to vertically adjust the main frame.

2. A swather comprising a main frame, a cutter bar along the front of said main frame, a main drive shaft extending longitudinally of said main frame, driving connections between the shaft and the cutter bar, auxiliary frames extending rearwardly from the main frame, an axle under said auxiliary frames, threaded posts extending upwardly from said axle, collars rotatably carried by said auxiliary frames and in threaded engagement with said posts, countershafts rotatably mounted longitudinally of the auxiliary frames and having their rear ends in geared connection with said collars, gears at front ends of the countershafts disposed between gears carried by said drive shaft and normally spaced therefrom, means for shifting said countershafts transversely and moving the gears at their front ends into engagement with selected ones of the companion gears carried by the drive shaft for rotating the collars in predetermined f direction and shifting the main frame to vertically adjusted positions, and means for rotating said main shaft.

3. A swather comprising a main frame, a cutter bar -along the front of said main frame, a main drive shaft extending longitudinally of said main frame, driving connections between the shaft and the cutter bar, auxiliary frames eX- tending rearwardly from the main frame, an axle under said auxiliary frames, threaded posts extending upwardly from said axle, collars rotatably carried by said auxiliary frames and in threaded engagement with said posts, -countershafts rotatably mounted longitudinally of the auxiliary frame and having their rear ends in geared connection with said collars, gears at front ends of the countershafts disposed between gears carried by said drive shaft and normally spaced therefrom, said countershafts having universal joints, brackets in said auxiliary frames disposed vertically and having their lower ends pivoted for movement transversely of the auxiliary frames and their upper ends provided with bearings engaged about the countershafts, companion plates pivoted at a side of each auxiliary frame and having portions overlapped, links extending from the bearings and each having a finger passing through overlapped portions of companion plates, means for turning the plates about their pivots and shifting the links longitudinally to shift the countershafts transversely and move their front gears into engagement with selected gears of the drive shaft for rotating the collars on said posts in predetermined directions and shift the main frame vertically to adjusted positions, and means for transmitting rotary motion to the drive shaft,

4. A swather comprising a main frame, a cutter bar along the main frame at the front thereof, a main drive shaft extending longitudinally of said main frame, driving connections between the shaft and the cutter bar, auxiliary frames extending rearwardly from the main frame, an axle under said auxiliary frames, threaded posts extending upwardly from said axle, collars rotatably carried by said auxiliary frames and in threaded engagement with said posts, countershafts rotatably mounted longitudinally of the auxiliary frame and having their rear ends in geared connection with said collars, gears at front ends of the countershafts disposed between gears carried by said drive shaft and normally spaced therefrom, said countershafts having universal joints, brackets in said auxiliary frames disposed vertically and having their lower ends pivoted for movement transversely of the auxiliary frames and their upper ends provided with bearings engaged about the countershafts, plates pivoted to the auxiliary frames and connected with the bearings, means for turning said plates about their pivots and tilting the brackets to swing the countershafts transversely of the auxiliary frames and move the gears at their front ends into engagement with selected gears of the drive shaft to rotate the collars about the `posts and vertically adjust the position of said main frame, and means for rotating said drive shaft.

5. The structure of claim 2, wherein the collars are rotatably supported in gimbals carried by the auxiliary frames and permitting universal tilting movement of the posts relative to the auxiliary frames, the countershafts having front and rear sections carrying the gears and telescoping intermediate sections connected with the end sections by universal joints.

WILBUR C. JENSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 23,090 Kinyon Mar. 1, 1859 319,257 Hunt June 2, 1885 885,157 Hovland Apr. 21, 1908 959,819 Towner May 31, 1910 1,154,493 Drygas Sept. 21, 1915 2,174,757 Potter Oct. 3, 1939 2,253,044 Ommodt Aug. 19, 1941 2,280,453 Rucker et al, Apr. 21, 1942 

